By Christopher Scott, The Lowell Sun (Lowell, Mass.
LOWELL, Mass. -- Patrolman Edward McMahon, who has spent chunks of time out of uniform either injured, on administrative leave or suspended over the last several years, last night urged the City Council to hire an outside investigator to expose police corruption.
The City Council took no action, except to refer McMahon’s request to City Manager John Cox.
Cox said he’ll meet with the Law Department before deciding on any course of action.
On Friday, McMahon filed a petition with the city clerk to address the City Council. In his petition, McMahon said he intended to speak about and “expose police corruption, police misconduct, police cover-up, failure to properly investigate former complaint, tainted police internal investigation, falsifying official police reports within the Lowell Police Dept. involving (Police Superintendent Edward Davis) and other members.”
McMahon offered no details last night, except to say, “My petition speaks for itself.”
Davis was not at the meeting. When reached by telephone after, he declined to comment.
Before and after last night’s meeting, McMahon was pressed to divulge any evidence he has backing up his claim. He declined.
McMahon was also asked if he has filed any reports with either the district attorney or U.S. attorney. He wouldn’t say.
The Sun learned yesterday that McMahon was suspended for five days without pay on Monday by Davis for insubordination.
When he was ordered to complete a report on his petition Monday by Lt. Tom Kennedy, McMahon was told to remain at the station until his report was read. He disobeyed.
McMahon has been on paid administrative leave since early last March, when he got into an argument with Davis following a City Council meeting.
Last night, Councilor Rodney Elliott pressed Cox for details on when that issue will be resolved.
Citing personnel matters, Cox was fuzzy. “I can only tell you the matter is progressing,” Cox said.
McMahon, a Lowell resident, has been a Lowell police officer for 17 years. McMahon claimed a medical disability kept him from working between May 1996 and June 1999. But during that time, he opened and ran a restaurant in Lowell called Windows. The city ordered him back to work in early June.